Charm!
"What—is that for real?!"
Crash—!
"Hyaak?!"
Right in the middle of the meal, Sepheer shot to her feet in a sudden uproar. Shock was written all over her face.
"What is it?"
Athena fixed her with a frigid stare.
"I found it..!!"
"...?"
"I said I found it! I just got word from one of my familiars."
"Found what, exactly."
Sepheer looked around at us, practically bouncing with excitement.
"What else?! A hatchling, of course!!"
"What?"
"They discovered a hatchling's nest in a cave near the forest. If we go now, we should be able to see it!!"
Sepheer was thoroughly worked up. Athena seemed intrigued as well; one golden brow lifted with interest.
"A dragon, huh..."
Athena murmured it under her breath, then turned her gaze on me.
"Hera. What do you want to do?"
"Huh?"
"We've already caught the demon. There's no real reason to stay here any longer. Strictly speaking, we could head straight back to the mansion right now."
Athena's suggestion that we return to the mansion left me strangely unsettled. Was it because the time I'd spent with her out here had been so much fun? Or was it simply that I didn't want to go back to that stifling estate?
"Mm..."
Athena studied my expression for a moment, then gently stroked my hair and went on.
"But if you'd rather, we can stay one more day. We can take a look at the hatchling while we're at it."
"R-really?"
"Mm. I've been curious about dragons for a while myself."
She gave a soft little laugh and pressed a brief kiss to my forehead.
"Do whatever you want, Hera."
"I want to see it..! I want to see a dragon too."
Honestly, not wanting to go back to the mansion outweighed my interest in the hatchling—but I couldn't deny I was curious about it all the same.
Dragons had never once shown themselves properly even in the novel. At most, their majestic silhouettes had appeared a handful of times high in the sky. That was how legendary they were. A single beat of their wings could whip up a typhoon; a single breath could erase an entire forest.
Of course, this was still only a hatchling, so it wouldn't be anywhere near as enormous as a fully grown one. Even so, I wanted to know what one actually looked like.
Was there anyone who loved fantasy novels and hated dragons? A being that unfurled two mighty wings and unleashed a searing breath—what would it feel like to see something like that with my own eyes?
"Pfft. All right."
Athena smiled at me, eyes warm. And so, once we'd finished eating, we set out to find the hatchling.
"You called for me, Master."
Athena's grand estate. As always, Alina answered the summons and came to find him.
"You're here."
Alina bowed her head in greeting. Bordin drew a cigarette from his coat and lit it.
"All the preparations are complete. Now we need only wait for them to return."
Through the thick smoke he exhaled, Alina's trembling eyes came into view.
"Are you truly going to..... the young lady..."
"I am."
Bordin took a deep drag, then produced from his coat a small object that looked like a medal. A tiny seal of finely worked gold, set with a red ruby.
It was the Imperial Seal.
"Obtaining this took a considerable amount of effort."
For all the storm raging in his eyes, Bordin's expression was unnervingly calm.
"As a loyal servant, I ought to teach my master a lesson as well."
The agony of losing someone precious right before your eyes.
"There it is!"
Deep in the eastern forest. Following Sepheer into the woods, we walked for quite some time before we finally found a cave.
"The mana concentration is thick."
Athena muttered as we stepped inside. Even I, who couldn't sense mana, could feel something pressing down on me. And that pressure only grew heavier the farther we went into the cave.
We kept walking until Athena, who had been leading the way, suddenly stopped dead and flung an arm out sideways, signaling us to halt.
"Found it."
I followed her gaze—and there it was, clear as day. Nestled in its nest, sound asleep, was a little blue creature.
"Th-that's a hatchling..?"
Sepheer whispered beside me. She wasn't wrong; calling it a dragon yet felt like a stretch. It was only about the length of my arm, with a pair of dainty little wings sprouting from its back. Compared to the dragons that split the sky with vast wings, it was almost ridiculously cute.
And yet the sharp blue scales sheathing its body, and the two horns rising from its head, were unmistakably a dragon's.
"Grrrr..."
Perhaps it had woken. The hatchling turned its head toward us and let out a low, quiet cry. It might have sounded threatening at a glance—but to me, it came across as something entirely different.
"C-cute..."
I'd always been a sucker for adorable things. Puppies, kittens, hamsters—any small, precious little creature, and I was done for. And right now, the cutest living thing I had ever seen was sitting right in front of me.
Those bright, round eyes. Those little triangular teeth that hadn't fully grown in yet. That pure, gentle face. The hatchling's devastating cuteness set my heart hammering.
Athena stroked my hair as she spoke.
"Just look. Don't get any closer—it could vanish in an instant. Dragons can use every kind of magic from the moment they're born."
"Mm..."
But ignoring Athena's warning entirely, a certain pink-haired succubus took a step forward.
"Heh heh!! We found a hatchling—there's no way I'm just standing here!"
Sepheer stretched a hand toward the hatchling, eyes blazing wide.
"Watch closely, Athena. I'll show you just how powerful my Charm really is."
Full of confidence, she fixed her gaze on the hatchling and cried out.
"Become mine, little one..— Charm!!"
For an instant her eyes flared, and pink mana poured toward the hatchling. The rosy light wrapped around it—and as if resonating with Sepheer, the hatchling's eyes began to glow pink as well.
"Heh heh.. Well, well. Looks like it works just fine?"
At a glance, it really did seem as though the Charm had taken hold. But contrary to Sepheer's expectations—
Flap—
The hatchling gave one great beat of its wings, and Sepheer's pink mana scattered into the air and vanished in an instant.
"...Eh?"
Sepheer stared blankly ahead, stunned by the spectacle. Athena's lips curled into a thin, mocking smile.
"Pfft.. I told you it wouldn't work."
".....How could this..."
Under Athena's ridicule, Sepheer sank to the floor in defeat. Still smirking at her, Athena turned her eyes to me.
"Come to think of it. You should be able to use it too, Hera."
"Huh? Use what?"
Athena pointed at Sepheer, who was sprawled on the ground muttering to herself.
"You made her your familiar, didn't you? You can probably use Charm as well."
"Huh?"
One of the Succubus Queen's powers. Charm. A technique that beguiled the target's mind and turned them into your slave. It had failed this time, but only because the target had been a dragon. In truth, she possessed the power to Charm even legendary-class monsters.
But I can use a power like that?
"You can use it, sure. But it won't work."
Sepheer had somehow gotten back up; she drifted over beside me with a gloomy look.
"You're only using a fraction of the power, so the effect will be way weaker than mine. Still, with a little practice, you might be able to Charm ordinary humans?"
Did I even need to seduce people..?
I didn't know the first thing about flirting with anyone. Of course I didn't—how was someone who'd once been a man supposed to know how to charm people? I probably wouldn't need a honey trap for the rest of my life.
"I don't think I'll need it..."
"What!!"
My muttered words must have scraped her pride raw. Sepheer lunged at me with blazing eyes.
"Are you looking down on the power of Charm?! This is incredible!! A power that mind-control spells can't even begin to compare to!!"
"H-hiiik?"
"Do you have any idea how many incubi and succubi would kill for this power?! You should feel blesse—"
"Don't raise your voice at Hera."
Thud—
"Guek!!"
Athena's fist cracked down on Sepheer's head, and Sepheer went straight into the floor. Athena dusted off her hand a couple of times and delivered the finishing blow.
"And it is a useless power, isn't it? You can't even use it on anyone stronger than you."
"Th-that's not..... it is..... useful....."
Wherever she'd been hit must have hurt badly; she clutched her head with both hands, tears welling little by little.
"I-it is..... useful..... it is usefuuul....."
Her pitiful state tugged at my heart. Feeling I at least ought to comfort her, I went to her side and gently patted her back.
"That's not true, Sepheer.. I think it's amazing."
Honestly, your Charm gave the protagonist so much trouble. It really is impressive..
"Really..? You think so?"
Sepheer looked up at me with teary eyes. Her face reminded me of a soaked little puppy caught in the rain.
"Y-yeah..! I'd love to try using it myself someday..?"
I don't actually care that much, but.
Sepheer seemed deeply moved; her eyes sparkled as she seized my hands.
"R-right?!! You get it, don't you?? Do you have any idea how incredible this power is..!!"
"Mm..."
"Heh heh.. As expected of my master. You understand perfectly!"
A sudden thought struck me—did Sepheer have bipolar disorder? Nothing else could explain mood swings this fast. The girl who'd been wallowing in despair moments ago was now beaming at me with a sunny smile.
"Then I'll personally teach you. I'm sure you'll be able to use it! You are my master, after all!"
"Uh..? Y-yeah! I'm looking forward to it..?"
Her confidence restored by my words, Sepheer stood and faced the hatchling again. Still on guard, the hatchling watched her and let out another low growl.
"All right! The important thing is rapport! You have to know how to lure the target's gaze."
"S-seduce them?"
"Yep. I'm a genius, so I can bewitch someone with just a look—but you won't be able to."
"I don't know how to do anything like that..."
"...."
I could feel Athena beside me giving me a thoroughly unimpressed look.
Why is she staring at me like that..?
"It's fine! The first time's the hardest—you'll get used to it. Just try seducing them your own way!"
As she spoke, Sepheer shoved me in the back. Pushed forward, I suddenly found myself right next to the hatchling.
"Kyuu..?"
The hatchling peered up at me with those big, bright eyes. The sight was so painfully cute that my chest started to flutter.
"Once you've seduced them, just chant Charm at your target!"
"Ch-Charm..."
"That's right. And that's it. How well you seduced them is what matters!"
"Don't force yourself, Hera. Even if you learn it, it won't be much use anyway."
Athena had come up behind me at some point and rested a hand on my shoulder.
"N-no.. I'll give it a try."
Since things had come this far, practicing once didn't seem like such a bad idea. If I learned it, maybe I'd need it someday..? I had no hobby of seducing people, but you never knew what life would throw at you.
Leaving the wary Athena right at my back, I looked at the hatchling. It hadn't taken its eyes off me. Somehow, that gaze felt a little heavy.
Seduce... seduce..
How were you even supposed to seduce someone normally? Number of almost-relationships: zero. Actual dating experience: also zero, obviously. For someone like me, seduction was an impossibly high wall.
In the end, I started rifling through all the video material I'd ever watched, hunting for examples of seductive behavior. After a long stretch of agonizing, I finally landed on a decent idea.
..This should be good enough.
I steeled myself and squeezed my eyes shut. For the first time in my life, I resolved to seduce someone.
I drew a deep breath. Then I lifted my palm to my lips with a soft mwah, closed one eye in a wink, and—looking straight at the hatchling—blew a little chu— as I tossed the kiss from my hand.
And right after that, I cried out:
"Ch-Charm!"
Blowing a hand-kiss to show affection to someone you liked. That was the absolute peak of seduction I was capable of.
And so I attempted my first seduction in this life. The results were catastrophic.
"....."
"...."
"...."
An even deeper silence settled over the quiet cave.
"...Hera.. was that your idea of seduction..?"
Sepheer stared at me with something like pity.
"Pfft!"
Athena burst out laughing at the sight of me.
"Uuu..."
Their reactions made my head explode with heat; my face burned. Both my cheeks flushed tomato-red. Mortification and embarrassment strong enough to kill me started wringing me dry.
"D-don't laugh!!"
I shouted at them.
"Pfft. No, Hera—that was adorable."
Athena still couldn't stop laughing.
"W-well.. yeah.. you'll get better with time..!"
Sepheer looked at me with completely unnecessary sympathy.
And then—
"Kyuu! Kyuu!!"
Looking thoroughly delighted, the little blue hatchling scampered over on tiny feet and scrambled up onto my shoulder.
".....Huh?"
"Kyuuu.. kyuu!"
The hatchling nuzzled its head against my cheek and let out a sweet little sound.
"".....Huh?""
The same word left Sepheer's and Athena's mouths at the exact same time. An expression of bewilderment I'd never seen on either of them before colored both their faces.
The hatchling kept gently rubbing its face against me. When I stroked its head, it closed its eyes as if it felt wonderful and leaned into my hand.
"D-did it... work..?"
""......""
They stared at me with blank, utterly disbelieving faces. At last, after a long stretch of silence, Athena muttered under her breath with a chilly look.
"As I thought.. Hera really is a bitch descended from the heavens..."
And beside her stood Sepheer, staring at me with violently shaking eyes.
"...Th-that's impossible..."
Apparently my successfully seducing the hatchling had dealt her a massive shock.
"Am I..... useless...?"
For some reason, I started to feel guilty toward Sepheer.